Lead SDET - Capital Markets

About The Role

As an SDET Automation Engineer (Hammer & Cyara), you will play a critical role in shaping and advancing the quality strategy for Conversational AI platforms and digital customer experiences. You will develop and maintain robust automation frameworks, reusable test harnesses, and testing standards that enable engineering teams to efficiently validate applications across Voice, Chat, APIs, and backend services. The role requires expertise in automation testing, API validation, CI/CD integration, and conversational AI testing methodologies. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to define test approaches, identify quality gaps, build scalable testing solutions, and ensure seamless customer interactions across channels. In addition to hands-on automation development, you will mentor engineers, promote quality engineering best practices, and help establish a culture of quality throughout the software development lifecycle. This is an excellent opportunity for a technically strong SDET who enjoys solving complex testing challenges, developing innovative test solutions, and driving quality for next-generation AI-powered customer experiences.

In This Role, You Will

• Perform functional, automation, API, regression, and end-to-end testing to ensure the quality, reliability, and performance of Capital Markets applications and platforms.
• Validate market data, reference data, index calculations, benchmark methodologies, and other financial data sets to ensure accuracy and integrity.
• Design, develop, and maintain scalable test automation frameworks and scripts using Java or Python.
• Execute data validation activities across SQL databases, ETL pipelines, and data services to support complex financial data processing workflows.
• Collaborate with developers, business analysts, and stakeholders to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve defects throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Leverage AI-powered tools, GenAI technologies, and Agentic AI assistants to enhance test design, automation coverage, defect analysis, root cause investigation, and overall quality engineering efficiency.
• Support the design, development, testing, and validation of AI-driven solutions, including RAG-based applications, AI agents, intelligent automation workflows, and LLM-powered systems.
• Apply knowledge of market data, pricing, benchmarks, indices, and other capital markets concepts to validate business-critical financial applications.
• Contribute to test strategy, automation best practices, and quality engineering standards across multiple applications and integrated systems.
• Test high-volume, low-latency, real-time data platforms and services, ensuring stability, scalability, and performance in Financial Services environments.

Work Model

We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a remote position open to qualified applicants. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software testing and quality engineering, including functional, automation, integration, and end-to-end testing.
• Proven experience in Capital Markets, Financial Services, or FinTech environments.
• Strong understanding of index methodologies, benchmarks, asset management, portfolio investment platforms, or related financial applications.
• Experience working with market data, including Equity, Forex, Fixed Income, Options, or other financial asset classes.
• Hands-on experience with test automation tools and frameworks such as Selenium WebDriver and Cucumber.
• Strong programming skills in Java or Python for test automation and framework development.
• Experience developing and executing API, regression, integration, and end-to-end testing strategies.
• Strong SQL skills with hands-on experience validating data across databases, ETL processes, and data services.
• Experience supporting test strategy, test planning, and quality assurance activities across integrated applications and complex systems.
• Experience evaluating testing tools and technologies, conducting test strategy reviews, and performing test script/code reviews.
• Knowledge of cloud platforms, preferably AWS.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across technical and business teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Linux/Unix environments, Jenkins, PL/SQL, and NoSQL databases.
• Experience with automation frameworks such as Carina, Karate, or similar tools.
• Exposure to GenAI and Agentic AI technologies, including testing or supporting RAG solutions, AI agents, intelligent automation workflows, and LLM-powered applications.
• Understanding of prompt engineering, AI orchestration frameworks, and AI-driven quality engineering practices.

Additional Information

We welcome applicants who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Even if you don't meet every listed requirement, we encourage you to apply. Consider your transferable experience and unique skills that may bring fresh perspective to the role.

Pay

The annual salary for this position is between $70,000 - $112,500 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans.

Benefits

Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan